Shuttle X1 crams a full-blown gaming machine in a tiny package

Prodigious power in a pint-sized package is something we appreciate around here, and Shuttle's X1 line looks quite interesting. Three models are on offer, and all pair an Intel seventh-generation four-core mobile processor with an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 3 GB graphics card and SSD storage. All the variants come packed into the same 5.6" x 5.6" x 3.4" tall (14 cm x 14 cm x 8.6 cm) multi-faceted chassis that displaces just 1.75 L.

The entry-level Shuttle X1 i5 model is built around an Intel Core i5-7300HQ four-core, four-thread processor flanked by 8 GB of DDR4 memory and the previously-mentioned GeForce GTX 1060 graphics card with 3 GB of its own GDDR5 memory. Gerbils who don't print their bedsheets with Nvidia graphics chip specifications might need a reminder that the 3 GB version of the GTX 1060 has 1152 stream processors, down from 1280 in the 6 GB version.

The base model for the Core i5-equipped Shuttle i5 pairs a 128 GB M.2 SSD with a 1 TB hard drive. The slightly dearer X1 i5 Pro sheds the platter drive and boosts the capacity of the SSD to 256 GB. The range-topping X1 i7 has a four-core, eight thread Intel Core i7-7700HQ processor and doubles the system memory to 16 GB of DDR4.

The front of the red-and-black machine has a red power button, a pair of USB 3.0 ports, and an SD card reader. For video output purposes, there are three HDMI ports and a DisplayPort connector around the back, plus a USB 3.0 Type-C jack that Shuttle says can be used to drive a fifth display. The rear port selection is complete with a Gigabit Ethernet port, an audio jack, and four USB 2.0 and two USB 3.0 ports. Wireless connectivity comes by way of 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth capability.